


Every Scrap of You Would Be Taken From Me

by sapphic_loser



Category: Anastasia (1997), The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: Alternate Universe - Anastasia (1997 & Broadway) Fusion, Alternate Universe - Benzaiten Steel Lives, Hurt/Comfort, Memory Loss, Multi, its an anastasia au babey!!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:27:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28353180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphic_loser/pseuds/sapphic_loser
Summary: Dahlia doesn't remember his life. He has the small bits and pieces he dreams of, the fire, the shouting, but the only real thing he has that points him to his past is a necklace with the words "Together in Hyperion" carved into it. When he and Rita attempt to get to Hyperion, they meet two peculiar people who seem to think he can sell the role of the lost Grand Duchess, Juno Steel. Well, whatever it takes to get to Hyperion, right?(Or, an Anastasia AU)
Relationships: Benzaiten Steel & Juno Steel, Buddy Aurinko & Peter Nureyev, Peter Nureyev/Juno Steel, Rita & Juno Steel
Comments: 23
Kudos: 43





	1. The Skeletons in Both Our Closets Plotted Hard to Fuck This Up

Bright lights flash Juno's eyes as he takes the hand of the chauffeur, who helps him hop up into the carriage. It’s the last night before his brother, Grandduke Benzaiten, leaves for Hyperion City for some reason that Juno can’t see the importance of. It’s quiet inside the carriage, the heavy weight of their eventual separation hanging in the air, but outside, New Kinshasa is brimming with excitement. Juno’s dealt with paparazzi all 8 years of his life, but tonight, what he wants to do is spend time with his brother. Juno looks over to Benten, who is looking out the window. Maybe if Juno thinks it hard enough, he can convince Benten to stay.

The ball is huge, some thousands of people talking and dancing and doing whatever else they like to do at balls. Juno is leaning on the end of the snack table, munching on one of the crabcakes and watching some kitchen boy steal a few creds out of a noble's pocket. He catches Juno’s eye, and brings a finger up to his lips. Juno laughs, makes a didn't see anything motion, and finishes his crabcake. When he looks back up, the boy is gone.

Juno dusts his hand off on the skirt of his dress, and walks around the edge of the crowd. When he looks to the front of the room, he can see his mother on her throne, conversing with someone who seems to be carrying the conversation a lot more than she is. In the opposite edge of the room, Benten is dancing with Mick, the son of a nobleman and a friend of theirs, but it's about time Juno went and talked to him. Juno declines a few requests to dance, and stands a few feet away from Mick and Ben. Mick notices him standing there, waves to Juno and says his goodbye to Benten.

“Juno, I have something for you. I made it a few days ago so while I’m gone this week, you can still kind of have me here.” Benten pulls out a round object from his pocket, with legs so it can stand up on a table. 

“A jewelry box?” Juno asks, but Benten is busy messing with the back of the object. He smiles, and the lid of the box opens, showing two people dancing. “It plays our lullaby!”

Juno grabs Benten's hand while he laughs, and they sway along to the music.

“On the wind, ‘cross the sea, sing this song and remember,” They quietly sing along with the box, “Soon you’ll be home with me, once upon a December.” 

Juno and Benten grin at each other, and he hands the box to Juno. He then pulls out a necklace, and gives it to Juno.

Juno holds the pendant close to his face, and reads the inscription, “Together in Hyperion,” He pulls the necklace over his head and onto his neck, “Thank you Benten!”

Juno pulls them into a hug and Benten covers this laughter with his hand, “You’re welcome Juno, now we’ll be together no matter where either of us go!”

Juno releases Benten, then looks to the front of the room, where Sarah was dancing with one of the Counts. Juno grabs Benten's wrist and they push past the people in the crowd to show her.

“Ma, Ma, look what Ben made me!” Juno says, holding up the box with one hand and the pendant with another.

Sarah lets go of the Count, and holds her hand out for the jewelry box. Juno places it in her hand, and she brings it up to eye level to look at it.

“Benzaiten, this is beautiful,” Benten reaches his hands out, and she lowers the box down. Benten turns the lever on the back of the box, then lets go of it. “And it plays music, my little monster, this is wonderful.”

Tension settles in the air around them, as the sound of a cane tapping the ground travels through the air. People freeze and move away to make way for a man that Juno just barely remembers, someone he can’t put his finger on. The crowd whispered as he made his way towards them, with a smile unsettling and too big for the situation. Sarah steps forward as the twins move closer together.

“Jack, how dare you return to this palace?” Juno began to remember the man who made such an impact on his life, Jack Takano, but the person in front of them looked nothing like how Juno remembered Jack. His skin was gaunt and grey, and he walked on shaky legs. 

“Sarah, I was your confidant. You never would have come this far without me, and you know it. This is for the greater good.” Jack raises his arms in big, exaggerated movements, motioning to the palace around them, the throne, the twins.

“You aren’t my confidant, and you are not welcome here. Get out!” Sarah says, with the power of a leader. 

“You underestimate the powers within me! I banish you, with a curse!” Sarah freezes, and the twins crowd closer to each other, “Mark my words, your family will die within the fortnight! New Kinshasa will see the end of Sarah Steel’s poor rule! I will not rest until I’ve seen the end of the Steels!”

The gates open, and with them came a mob of people, holding torches to storm the castle. Juno and Benten run to Sarah, who crouches down to their level.

“Go, leave the castle, and don’t look back!” Juno tries to say something, but she shakes her head, “Go! I love you my little monsters, but now you need to leave!” 

She pushes them in with the escaping crowd and goes to find Jack. Juno and Benten run, but Juno realizes his hand is empty and stops. 

“My music box!” Juno says as he runs back into the palace.

“Juno!” Benten calls after him, then he runs back with him, “Juno! Come back!”

They run into a room and Juno is grabbing the music box while Ben closes and locks the door. Benten grabs Juno's arm and is about to run back out, but they can hear the mob coming to the door. 

Then a boy, the kitchen boy from earlier grabs Benten's sleeve. 

“Come on, this way! Out the servant's quarters!” He leads them through a door in the wall.

“Hurry Juno, they’re coming!” Benten yells.

Juno pokes his head back out from the wall, “My music box!” The boy turns to look at Juno, and he notices the tape on the side of the boy's oversized glasses as he pushes Juno back.

“Go, go!” The boy yells before he closes and locks the hatch to the door. 

He uses his body to cover the door in the wall as people knock down the door. 

“Where are they, boy?” He grabs a vase from a nearby table and throws it at the man, who uses his gun to knock it away, then knock down the boy.

Juno and Benten run past a bridge, on a river iced over from the cold weather. Jack comes down from the bridge and takes Juno by the back of his jacket.

“Juno!” Benten yells, holding onto Juno’s arm.

“Let me go!” Juno yells, yanking himself away from Jack.

“You will never escape me!” Jack pulls Juno back as the ice begins to crack underneath him. Jack lets go of Juno while he tries to claw his way back up from the water, but it pulls him down and down and down, until when Juno looks back, Jack is gone with only a hole in the ice for his struggle.

Juno and Benten push past the crowd at the side of the train tracks. Benten gets on, then turns to help Juno up. But the train is going fast, and Juno’s small legs can barely keep up. 

“Juno, take my hand! Hold onto my hand!” He clutches Benten's hand, holding on as hard as he can.

“Don’t let go!” Juno runs with the train, but his hand is slipping and he can only run for so long. His legs start to give out and his hand falls from Ben’s grip. He yells, but the train is already leaving.

“Juno! JUNO!” Benten yells, but the train is so far away and Juno can’t get to him in time.

“BENZAITEN!” Juno shouts before his head hits the concrete and his vision goes black.


	2. Sacred New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nureyev makes a plan. Dahlia and Rita make their way to Hyperion.

The streets of Brahma have an odd comfort to them, what with the hundreds of people who walk down them each day, all of them having something that can be stolen. 

Nureyev walks down a sidewalk in front of stands of all kinds, things he has no want or need to buy. There is an uneasiness in the air, one he has felt since the revolution, when New Kinshasa was torn down and Brahma was created from its ashes, quite literally with all of the arson that happened in that time. 

A small group of people gather around one of the stalls, but unlike the others, Nureyev cannot hear what should be shouting about products coming from it. He walks over, standing at the back before the owner points to him and beckons him forward. 

“Pardon me,” Nureyev says as he walks through to the front of the group. 

The man is leaning over the front of the stall, with a comms in his hand displaying an article. Its text is in Solar, from Hyperion City if the Hyperion Chronicles banner at the top is to be believed. Then he looks down, where text should be, but all he sees is a picture, one he has not seen in a very long time. 

“Do you know who this is?” The man asks, pointing to the portrait of a child wearing a dress and crown on his head, sitting elegantly and looking into the camera with a neutral expression. 

“Why, yes. That’s the Grand Duchess Juno Steel,” Nureyev says, leaning in to get a better look. It looks like him, at about six years old, before the revolution was even an idea in the royal family.

“You’re right, boy, that is him. And do you know what this says?” He points to the top of the article, where _Former Prince Benzaiten of New Kinshasa Offers 100 Million Creds For the Safe Return of His Twin Brother._

Nureyev nods, and the people around him are whispering. Through his peripheral, he can see that the crowd has grown by double since he first walked over to the man. 

“The princess is alive!” The man points harder at the picture and does a grand gesture to the city around them. “He’s somewhere here, and he’s alive!”

The rumors of the surviving princess have been around for quite some time, but now, Nureyev has an idea. The crowd is starting to disperse, and he ducks in along with them. He opens the door to the lighthouse and sets his bag on the bar.

“Come now, Pete, we have hooks for a reason. You might as well make use of them,” Buddy says, looking up from the drink she's mixing.

“I’m going right back out, Buddy,” He pulls out a comms and looks for the article the man at the stands was showing, then turns it so Buddy can see. “Have you heard the rumors that the princess is alive?”

“I have,” Buddy says before taking a sip from her glass. “However, I have not seen anything about this.”

“Well, how would you feel about going to Hyperion City, with a guest of course,” Nureyev says, pointing to the image at the top of the article.

Buddy thinks for a moment, “And how do you suppose we will find him?”

“We won’t. You and I know enough about that family to teach someone to pretend as though they are a part of it. We get the money, he gets a brother. We just need to find someone who looks like him and something that once belonged to Juno.”

“Where do you think we will find someone who looks like Juno? We can’t just have anyone pose as him, he has to be believable with the knowledge we give him and his similarities to Benzaiten.”

“Brahma is a big city, there's bound to be at least a few people who look like Juno and are a convincing actor.” Nureyev takes the bag off of the bar and slings it over his shoulder. “If we don’t find him, I’m certain he will find us.”

“Alright,” Buddy says.

Nureyev goes to a different shopping area, one not known for food and luxuries, but rather one-of-a-kind vintage products. Already people are showing off paintings of the royals and fur-lined coats, but one thing in particular speaks to him.

“Ah, so you’re interested in the jewelry box?” The man turns the back to reveal a pair of dancers. “It’s genuine Steel, the only of its kind.”

“10 creds and a can of beans for the jewelry box?” Nureyev ruffles through his bag and puts his offering on the table.

The man hesitates, considers, and ultimately nods. He hands the box to Nureyev and takes the payment. 

“A pleasure doing business!” Nureyev shouts back while he examines the box.

* * *

Dahlia pulls his bag over his shoulder and waves to the children at the door. Rita follows behind, holding her backpack and pulling a suitcase behind her. She turns and waves at the kids inside, then skips out to stand next to Dahlia. He opens the gate, then closes it behind them.

“I’m so excited, Boss! I’ve never been outside Brahma, and now I’m gonna go to Mars!” Rita tugs on Dahlia’s sleeve and waves her other hand around.

“Rita, I know you’ve never been outside Brahma. You’ve been talking about it since you first saw my necklace.” He smiles at Rita as she takes her hand off his sleeve and cups them together.

“But boss, it's so different now! Before it was just an idea, but we’re really doing it now! It’s like in this stream I saw once-” Dahlia nods along as she explains the plot to a stream that sounds vaguely like their situation, minus the monsters and knights and dramatic fight scenes.

They finally get to the station and to the front of the line for tickets. Dahlia walks up to the counter, with Rita trailing behind him. 

“Can we get two tickets for Hyperion City?” Dahlia says, putting his elbows on his side of the counter.

“Interplanetary passport,” The clerk says as they’re typing away on their computer. Dahlia tilts his head at the clerk and they sigh. “You need a passport for an interplanetary ticket. No passport, no ticket.”

Dahlia turns around to Rita and they start to walk out defeated, when someone taps Dahlia's shoulder. He jumps and turns around, with Rita following suit.

“Find the nameless thief, he’ll help you.” The person says, taking their hand off of Dahlia’s shoulder.

“I- what… How am I supposed to find someone with no name?” Dahlia asks.

“Go to the old castle, you’ll find him there.” Rita pulls on the edge of Dahlia’s sleeve and she’s grinning.

“Thank you, random mysterious stranger person! We’ll go there now!” Rita tugs Dahlia along, out one of the exits.

“Rita? You’re going the wrong way, we need to go to that exit.” Dahlia points to the exit to the left of them.

“Oh, yeah!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its here!! as always, thank yall so much for reading and please leave kudos and/or comments!! follow me @/sapphic_loser on twt and sapphic-loser on tumblr for updates. i love yall!!


	3. Memorize the Creaks in the Floor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dahlia and Rita search for the nameless thief, while Buddy and Nureyev look for a princess.

The castle is bigger than Dahlia expected. He’s seen it from far away when he was going to the market or doing work, but he's never been this close. The gates tower over them, but Rita unlocks it with two of her hairpins and they walk inside.

It’s beautiful, way nicer than any other building Dahlia has been in. Like everything else about the castle, the ceilings are huge and paintings cover every wall. They go into a few rooms, all dusty and some looted. Rita looks in a room while Dahlia goes to one of the two grand staircases. He stares at the mural on the wall, more specifically the twins, who are both smiling.

“Boss, I can’t believe we’re actually inside the castle! It’s so _pretty!_ ” Rita says, holding a necklace with intricate carvings and jewels on it.

“Rita, come on. We’re looking for a thief, not some ghost who doesn't want people touching its jewelry.” Dahlia says, looking down from the side of the staircase into a large ballroom area.

“But Mistah Dahlia, thieves like jewelry,” Rita cuts herself off, gasping, “Unless it's like in this stream I watched, where a girl _thought_ she was looking for a prince, but it was actually a dragon! Do you think this nameless thief whateva is a dragon?”

Dahlia walks over to the top of the staircase and looks at the large mural painted of the royal family. “Probably not, no.” He says as he turns and walks down the stairs.

Rita follows behind, skipping down the steps. She grins at Dahlia and takes his hands, leading him in a dance.

“Rita, we can’t just-”

“Yeah, yeah boss, we gotta look for the dragon-thief, but we can dance around for a little bit! Besides it’s not like the Queen is going to appear and tell us we can’t!” Rita says as she spins him around.

“Hello? Is someone down there?” A voice calls out from the opposite end of the ballroom.

“Do you think that’s him?” Rita whispers to Dahlia, letting go of his hands.

“Well, there’s only one way to find out,” Dahlia says, before shouting, “Are you the, uh, nameless thief? We were told you were the one to come to about a passport?”

Dahlia walks to the other staircase, with Rita following behind him. They approach the end of the steps and see two people standing, both smiling down at them. One is taller than the other, lanky, wearing glasses and a nice suit. The other had flame-red hair that covered half of her face, with a fancy dress that seemed too nice for an outing at an abandoned palace, but hey, who was Dahlia to say.

The taller one smiles and says, “I suppose so, yes. And who might you be?”

They walk to the top of the steps, where Dahlia sees a second mural of the royal family. “This is Rita, and I’m Dahlia. We’re trying to get to Hyperion City which _apparently_ you need a passport for, who would’ve known.”

“That is quite a predicament you’ve found yourselves in. Fortunately for you, we might be able to help.” The red-haired woman says.

“My name is Peter Ransom, and this is my colleague, Buddy Arinko. Funny enough, we are going to Hyperion City too. We also just so happen to have extra tickets,” Dahlia and Rita look at each other.

“So you’re gonna help us?” Rita says, grinning at Ransom and Buddy.

“Oh, trust me darlings, we would, but we are looking for someone specific to come with us. We are reuniting the Princess and his brother,” Buddy says, pointing to the mural.

“Juno Steel? The _Princess_?” Dahlia asks while Rita looks at the painting, then Buddy and Ransom, then Dahlia.

“Dahlia, you have a beautiful name. Commitment, strength, control. Have you had a lot of that throughout your life?” Ransom says, looking Dahlia straight in the eyes.

“What are you, my therapist? Why does it matter to you?” Ransom is staring at him more intently now, and Dahlia realizes he’s not getting out of his question that easy. “Okay, I was found wandering around when I was eight, I was taken in by an orphanage and I met Rita.”

“And before then? Before you we’re eight, I mean.” Buddy asks.

Dahlia groans, “Look, I don’t remember then. I only know my name is Dahlia because the nurses told me and-” He hesitates, knowing what they’re really asking. “No. Just because I don’t remember my past doesn’t mean I’m gonna be some Princess who’s probably dead. Not happening.”

“ _Mistah Dahlia!”_ Rita says, looking up at him, her jaw dropped.

“Suit yourself. Though if you do change your mind on that darling, be sure to let us know.” Buddy says before she and Ransom walk around the corner, towards one of the castle's exits.

“Boss, this is one of those once in a lifetime opportunities that people talk about! We gotta go with them!” Rita lightly tugs on Dahlia's hand, urging him to come.

“I don’t know Rita, they’re trying to bring me to the Prince. One who will probably see right through this and have us arrested, or something,” Dahlia says, glancing at Benzaiten in the mural. He had heard stories from people who used to work with the royal family, saying how the Prince was able to get people into trouble.

“But, if you are really him, you’ll find your family! And even if you’re not, we can say it was a mistake. Come _on_ , Mistah Dahlia, it can’t hurt to try.”

“I- I guess so,”

“YAY! Okay let's go, we gotta catch up!” 

They run the way that Buddy and Ransom went, looking on each side of the hall to make sure no doors are open. When they get outside, Buddy and Ransom are standing there.

“I assume you’ve changed your mind?” Buddy asks, but she’s not looking for an answer.

“Yeah, I did,” Dahlia mutters, but Ransom hears it and grins.

“Excellent! I assure you, you won’t regret this.” Ransom says to Dahlia and Rita, then he turns to talk with Buddy as they exit the gates and start their journey towards Hyperion.

* * *

In a crevasse at the top of the ballroom, a bottle and a soul stir to life. 

_Target_ **_Juno Steel_ ** _is alive._

 _Target_ **_Juno Steel_ ** _is in New Kinshasa._

 _Target_ **_Benzaiten Steel_ ** _is alive._

 _Target_ **_Benzaiten Steel_ **_has left New Kinshasa._

 _Targets_ **_Juno_ ** _and_ **_Benzaiten Steel_ ** _will be eliminated._

And with that, the bottle releases an evil force out into the universe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi, so this took a while. i have a lot going on right now, and softball season is abt to start so updates will be slow. BUT on the bright side, i am not giving up on this!! ill still be updating, it will just be slower than usual. as always, thank yall so much for reading, drink some water ily all!!

**Author's Note:**

> so, i've had his in my head since forever, and now its finally out there!! please consider leaving kudos and a comment, because 1 i love validation from stangers and 2 it keeps my motivation up!! a big thank you to the ppl in the penumbra network discord server, i never would have actually written this without yall!! you can subscribe here for updates or follow my twitter @/sapphic_loser or my tumblr @/sapphic-loser!! i don't have an upload schedule in place yet but if i make one ill post it on twitter/tumblr!! okay that's all for now luv u all drink a cup of water ur amazing!!


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